Church News
Sharing the Journey
Greetings and salutations church
family!
Here we are at the
threshold of another two months.
We’ve endured the cold and snow
of January and February, endured
the complete schizophrenic nature
of the weather of March and
April, now we look toward May
and June. Time certainly does fly
but we can rest assured that even
in the midst of these fast-moving
days, we have the love of God
through our Savior Jesus Christ!
Think about this phrase if
you will: “The only way out is
through.” I have used this phrase
with countless Soldiers and
“regular” people in the context of
pastoral counsel. It speaks to the
fact that we are not going to be
able to avoid some (or most)
difficulties of life. The best
blessings come when we go
through the difficulty and come
out on the other side and see the
blessings. Case in point: during
my April Army Reserve weekend
I took the last physical training
test of my military career. Every
time I have taken a PT test, I have
always had quite a bit of
nervousness because I’ve never
been one who is very strong or
good at running and I’ve failed a
couple PT tests in my Army
career. But I think about the
process as it (thankfully)
happened most often: I had
nervousness, but I toughed it out
knowing there’s no way around it,
went through it, succeeded, and
looked at it from the other end and
saw the blessing. Christian, this is
exactly what Jesus is teaching us
in Matthew 16. He had just
finished telling the disciples that
His betrayal and crucifixion was
coming. Peter rebuked Jesus and
told him that it wasn’t so. Jesus
had to rebuke Peter and then He
said those words: If any man will
come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and
follow Me (Matt. 16:24). Friend,
the path that we take in the
Christian life will not always be
easy. We will endure difficulty
(ref: John 16:33) but we have
something wonderful that the
unsaved can’t claim: we have the
promise that God will walk with
us the entire way. The only way
out is through. May this truth give
you encouragement as we enter
these next two months. God bless.
Daniel
Phil. 4:13
BUSINESS MEETING
The quarterly business meeting will
be held on Wednesday, May 13, at
6:00 PM. Please plan to attend this
important meeting because a quorum
is needed and your input is vital to
the routine business of the church.
Memorial Day Sunday
Sunday, May 24, will be Memorial
Day Sunday. The worship service
will center around honoring all who
gave their lives on the field of battle
for our freedom!
M/HC NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Join us on Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm
for the 3rd annual Martinsville/Henry County Night of
Prayer and Worship at HJDB Event Center (3289
Riverside Drive, Bassett, VA) featuring guest speakers
and worship music led by Waterway Revival from
Southport, NC. This year’s theme is “Show Us Your
Glory.”
Deacons - Leading through Serving
There will be Deacon Nominations on Sunday, June 14.
Start now to prayerfully seek God’s guidance on who He
is calling to serve you at Oak Level Baptist Church.
Current deacons serving are: Lance Frith (rotates off),
Brenda Ferguson, Debra Brown, Doug Ramsey and Donna
Winebarger (rotates off).
Hamburgers and Hot Dogs
On Sunday, June 21, we
are celebrating Friends and
Family Day. We will be
grilling hotdogs and
hamburgers after the
worship service for lunch in
the fellowship hall. Bring
your loved ones, bring your
neighbors, and bring your favorite side dish or dessert to
go with the hotdogs/hamburgers provided by the church.
THANK YOU
Thank you to everyone who donated to the WMU
Missions Project for the Pure Water, Pure Love ministry in
April. The church collected $645 for this worthy project.
Meetings
Tuesday - May 26 – 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday - June 23 – 6:30 p.m.
OPPORTUNITY FOR MISSION GIVING
In May, the WMU of OLBC will be
sponsoring a Baby Bottle fundraiser to
help support the Pregnancy Care
Center of MHC. By filling this bottle with loose change,
cash, and/or checks, you are supporting an organization
that will do all it can to reach mothers and protect the
unborn in our community. If writing a check, make it
payable to OLBC and designate your envjOINelope for
PCC of MHC. Return the bottles to the church by Sunday,
May 10. Every cent donated helps save babies and helps
mothers facing crisis.
DISASTER RELIEF FOCUS
Through the month of June, the WMU will be
sponsoring a missions offering to support Disaster Relief
through BGAV. You can give to support the response
knowing that 100% of your gift will go to the response.
Our goal is $750. Be sure to designate your envelope or
check as “Disaster Relief.”
CROSSROADS VOLUNTEER WEEKEND
As we look toward the 2026 Camp Season, that mountain
air is calling for a community of hands and hearts to help
prepare CrossRoads for a summer of impact.
From Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 17, we are
inviting volunteers of all generations to "join us on the
mountain" for a weekend dedicated to stewardship,
service, and connection.
Our anticipated projects for the weekend include:
• Structural Care: Deck and porch repairs to keep
our facilities safe and welcoming.
• Trail Stewardship: Clearing and maintaining the
paths that wind through our gorgeous property.
• Operational Prep: Organizing equipment and
relocating supplies to ensure the summer staff can
hit the ground running.
Cabin accommodations are provided free of charge. All
meals—from Friday’s kickoff dinner to Sunday’s farewell
lunch—are provided for our volunteers.
Contact Donna Winebarger on how to register for this
service weekend.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER
The Wednesday evening service is NO LONGER tied to the notice of schools closing for inclement weather. The church office will send out an email IF there has been a decision to cancel Wednesday services or you can call the office or a deacon to verify the cancellation. For announcements concerning Sunday Morning Services, listen to B99 FM radio or watch TV Stations, WDBJ, Channel 7 or WSLS, Channel 10, for possible church cancellations.
THE GRACE NETWORK OF MHC
OLBC is just one of over one hundred congregations
and other groups that partner with Grace Network to
help families in crisis in Martinsville and Henry
County. “Grace Network strives to give short-term
assistance and to help find long-term solutions.” Each
month we can help needy families by giving nonperishable
food items, toiletries, cleaning supplies,
and paper products. Check out the church bulletin to
see what OLBC has pledged to give. You can be a part
of this ongoing mission when you donate to this
worthy cause. Visit their website at www.gracenetworkmhc.org to learn more.
Sharing the Love
Each week our folks are visiting friends throughout the community to let them know we love and care for them. Sometimes it is to sit and pray with someone suffering from injury or illness and unable to get out. At other times it's to get to know neighbors in the area and to introduce them to the ministries of Oak Level, if they do not have a church home of their own. In every instance it is another opportunity to go in the name of Jesus in order to be an ambassador of love. If you have never experienced the joy of visiting others or meeting new friends in this way, please know that you are more than welcome to join us. Visitation times are flexible according to your schedule, and there are plenty of folks that you already know who would be honored to go with you. Contact any deacon or the pastor for more information.
Newsletters
We publish our newsletter at Oak Level Baptist Church every two months. If you would like to have a copy, please feel free to download one of the newsletter PDF files.
May 2026 - June 2026 Newsletter (in PDF format)
March 2026 - April 2026 Newsletter (in PDF format)
November 2025 - December 2025 Newsletter (in PDF format)
September 2025 - October 2025 Newsletter (in PDF format)
July 2025 - August 2025 Newsletter (in PDF format)
May 2025 - June 2025 Newsletter (in PDF format)
March 2025 - April 2025 Newsletter (in PDF format)
January 2025 - February 2025 Newsletter (in PDF format)
For older PDF newsletters, please click to visit our Archive page.
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